Greene Central Closes Regular Season with Gritty 41-38 Win Over North Lenoir
Greene Central Closes Regular Season with Gritty 41-38 Win Over North Lenoir
LA GRANGE — Greene Central wrapped up its regular season on a high note, grinding out a 41-38 road victory over North Lenoir on Tuesday night. The Rams, now 11-10, used a strong second half to erase a halftime deficit and secure the win.
The rivalry between these two programs has been intense over the years. From 2011 to 2019, North Lenoir dominated the matchup, winning 19 of 21 games. However, Greene Central has turned the tide in recent years, winning four of the last five meetings.
An’Nyshea Wooten, who had a quiet first half with just four points, took control after the break, pouring in 13 second-half points to finish with a game-high 17. Jazmine Davis added 10 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining to give the Rams a crucial three-point lead. SyKiah Lancaster contributed nine points in the win.
North Lenoir (6-16) was led by Cassidee Frazer’s 11 points, while Ta’Sheena Lynch and Sieanna Robinson chipped in 10 and seven points, respectively. The Hawks will wrap up their regular season tonight against Kinston High before shifting focus to the conference tournament next week, where both teams will look to make a postseason push.
Greene Central head coach Tammy Elbert credited her team’s defensive adjustment for the turnaround.
“They picked up on defense when we went to man, and that made a big difference in the second half,” Elbert said. “She [Wooten] is pivotal to our team’s success. Can I take her out and trust #30 (Jayce Russell)? I can, but when #30 went out, we kept feeding Wooten, and she took it upon herself to get us the win.”
Wooten acknowledged her slow start but remained locked in when it mattered most.
“I started off too slow in the first half, but I had to keep playing and keep going for us to get the win,” Wooten said.
For Davis, her late-game heroics were all about composure.
“I just set my feet, followed through, and watched it go in,” Davis said.
With the postseason looming, Greene Central will look to carry this momentum forward as they prepare for the conference tournament next week.
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